Night Watch I: Eliza, Ward of Andrew

*Andrew’s POV*

I was impressed with my Watchmen. While virtually all of them either goggled at Eliza and the hostage or did a double take, I overheard not a single offensive murmur regarding Eliza’s... temporarily altered appearance. And mark, I had been listening very carefully as I guided her towards the interrogation room.

We were in no situation to talk, so I couldn’t prepare her for what I feared was coming. I knew Eliza had seen a lot of hideous things in her life, but I couldn’t imagine she’d be thrilled to be required to be present for enemy torture. I knew I never was. But I had to be there, and therefore, so did Eliza. I scowled.

Just as I had anticipated, Johannes was waiting for us when we got there. Eliza briefly paused when she saw his tools, his apron. I laid a hand on her shoulder to steady her, though I quickly realized she didn’t need it. Her face had hardened with comprehension. She did not look at me.

I indicated the greasy Night Fae who had ignored us. “Watchman Eliza, this is Johannes.” He finally looked up and nodded, grinning merrily, and I felt both irritated and disgusted. “I’m going to be direct, if you don’t mind, Johannes?” He never did. He reveled in what he did. Ugh.

The shadowy man looked up again, not at me, but at Eliza, then at the hostage, still grinning happily. “Nope!” He had popped the ‘p,’ like a child.

I watched him for a moment, bizarrely fascinated. “The Healers learned that Johannes was an unusual boy when he was very young, that he did not feel empathy. Now that I know Alice is a mind reader, I imagine he had something to do with that. Anyway…” I trailed off, uncomfortable. Johannes in general made me feel that way. He was repulsive.

“Johannes is the Village butcher. In exchange for receiving that position, the animals all must die quickly, and only those he is given, isn’t that right?” Johannes nodded automatically. I looked at Eliza, who was still eyeing the dark man. “He also is the only villager who has no qualms about assisting during interrogation. He is, because of his unique nature, very creative when given a directive. But he also knows that if he ever, ever crosses the line, and breaks the rules, he will be executed, just like any other criminal.”

Johannes looked up at me, still smiling, nodding a bit. “Yes, yes. But why would I do that? Please, Second Officer Andrew, feel free to set your prisoner in the chair. I will not touch it until I am instructed, eh?” He gestured with a skinning knife, his eyes twinkling, his teeth showing in a wide grin. Hideous.

I looked at Eliza, and noticed her tusks had begun to recede. I wasn’t very comfortable with the idea of having her close to Johannes, with no one but myself around, but she surely needed to set the filthy troll down. “Eliza, let’s strap the troll in the chair. Johannes, Eliza is my ward.” I caught his eye and held it until he bowed his head and nodded. Hopefully that was enough for him to understand that I would kill him if he even spoke to her out of turn.

Johannes moved conspicuously into a corner as we approached. Good. I kept careful track of him in the corner of my eye as we strapped the troll into a sitting position. It still sputtered, though slightly less than initially.

With the prisoner secured, we stepped a few paces back to await whoever was to oversee the interrogation. What they hoped to accomplish from an unresponsive enemy, I wasn’t sure. I looked at Eliza, and her face was still completely impassive. “I’m sorry, but we cannot leave for you to change. I need to be present-“

She glanced at me. “-Of course, Second Officer.” She didn’t sound angry at all, but I still worried.

Eliza stank horrifically, almost enough to make my eyes water. She was absolutely filthy. I wished we were alone, so I could tell her that I didn’t believe Papa would speak falsely, though I didn’t understand the significance of what had happened. Instead I put my hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for carrying the hostage. You were selfless in your service, Watchman.”

Eliza had time to nod before a rather large slew of people came streaming into the small room. Lemmy, Ozzy, Blasko, Siouxsie, Billy, and Alice all came trooping in after Papa Emeritus, who floated in without the customary company of his Nameless Ghouls. Interesting.

Lemmy indicated Eliza and I. “Will you catch them up, Paps?”

Papa made a displeased-looking face, and Alice laughed. “Very well, Elder, but of course.” He whistled over towards us and indicated the secured hostage. “I am certain that creature is bound by extremely powerful sorcery. The source of the magicks is a being much more formidable, even, than I.”

Papa grimaced balefully at the admission. “I cannot even touch the enchantment, I was scalded in the attempt! But- I felt its nature. I believe that troll is silenced.”

Papa’s manner took on an even more dramatic, almost theatrical tone. “It takes an immensely robust worker of the blackest arts to place such an enchantment on so many underlings… That sort of craft is the very darkest in nature. I believe this has revealed something about that which you face. It must be that an incredibly potent wielder of the arcane is using the trolls for some foul end. That each of those scouts was silenced once captured-“

I interrupted him, remembering Crilly’s troll. “-Crilly’s Scouts captured a troll for a short while, before being ambushed. Was that one frothing as well?”

Papa turned to Blasko, apparently shocked at the news. Blasko turned to Billy. “Can you find out? Crilly should be with the Initiates for an hour yet.” Billy took off out the door.

Papa started talking to himself. “If all of the trolls have been so enchanted, even if only the scouts, then you are confronting a creature of such strength as I have never faced.” He looked to Alice, who shook his head, apparently agreeing.

I had to ask the obvious question. “If it’s gagged, then how can we question it? Why torture it?”

Papa rolled his eyes. “We are here to do neither, unless we are very fortunate indeed, and I am mistaken. As unlikely as that may be, we can’t take any chances. Thus, we will inflict enough discomfort to be certain it cannot awaken. Then, Alice and I must watch how it dies. That is how we shall confirm my suspicions.”

I ignored the soft sigh of disappointment from the corner. Johannes didn’t care about enchantments, but he did prefer responsive victims to his attentions. Sick fiend.

With Lemmy here, I didn’t dare show any sign of weakness and ask if Eliza and I could leave, even though she absolutely stank and had to be miserably uncomfortable. Admittedly, if she hadn’t been my lover, I surely would have… But I was wary of seeming to show any signs of favoritism. Lemmy and Ozzy both looked exhausted, and I didn’t want to test anyone’s patience.

Papa and Alice appeared to be having some kind of mental conversation of sorts, as Alice would shake his head or laugh every now and again, or appear to concur with something Papa was thinking. I had missed whatever they were discussing, but everyone was clearly waiting on their decision.

“Definitely, we’ll need some drop cloths.” They both nodded, and Johannes promptly started laying some down.

Then Alice pointed right at Eliza and I, while looking at Blasko. “She’s too much of a soldier to say anything, but she’s miserable, itchy, and positively soaked in troll piss. And her warden is beside himself with worry over Eliza having to witness this, as well as her discomfort. Their thoughts are so bloody loud I can’t concentrate, can they please leave?”

My mouth fell open as the entire room, aside from Eliza and the comatose troll, broke into raucous laughter. I saw her face blushing a deep scarlet, and I also felt my neck heat up.

Blasko looked at Lemmy, who shrugged and nodded. “Alright, Andrew, you and Eliza did very well with your Scouts tonight. Why don’t you both take off a wee bit early? Doyle’s watching the Initiates, so I reckon he can finish up with the Changing of the Guard. I’ll fill you in tomorrow Night.”

Not sure if we were being rewarded, punished, or mocked, I decided it didn’t matter. “Thank you, First Officer. Until next Watch or sooner, then. Please do not hesitate to send for us, should you have any further questions.”

Blasko stroked his beard in what looked like an approving manner as Eliza and I walked past. Siouxsie very discreetly held her breath, though she smiled genuinely. Ozzy cocked his head and watched us intently in his odd, quiet fashion.

Eliza waited until we were well past the interrogation room to speak up. “Second Officer?”

Something in her voice concerned me, it sounded anxious and urgent. “Yes?”

Eliza tried to speak softly. “Since we are freed from our duties for the moment, I absolutely must use the latrine. You and Robin weren’t carrying a troll all that way back-“

Suddenly I was very thankful for Alice’s abilities. “Eliza! You’re allowed to ask that we both go to the outhouse! Don’t piss yourself just because-“

She took my hand. “-Chastise me later. Privy now.I ’m already covered in enough urine.”

That was all I needed to hear. I turned on my heel and headed for the nearest latrine at a fast clip.

Notes

Johannes is based on the stage/band persona of Johannes Eckerstrom, of Avatar, obviously not his real-life personality. i believe he'd dig on being a creeper and this is intended as a totally fictitious tribute, not at all representative of his actual character in real life.



p.s. so- do you think Papa's right? that there's like a crazy mega-wizard commanding the trolls? and, if so, why? if not, what else do you think is going on?


also, i haven't gotten any votes or new subscribers in almost two months, though i've had about 5,000 views since then. i do appreciate comments and if you like it enough to read the whole thing, a vote as encouragement. this story doesn't get a lot of attention despite it being my baby, so every little bit counts. thanks.